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Thierry Henry: The fairest thing would be to replay game
Andy Hodgson20 Nov 2009
Thierry Henry has called on FIFA to replay the controversial World Cup qualifier between France and the Republic of Ireland.
His amazing plea came after FIFA insisted there was no way the match, which turned on a blatant handball by the Barcelona striker, could now be re-staged.
Henry said in a statement that it would be “the fairest solution” for the match to be replayed.
He added: “I have said at the time and I will say again that, yes, I handled the ball. I am not a cheat and never have been.
“It was an instinctive reaction to a ball that was coming extremely fast in a crowded penalty area.
“As a footballer you do not have the luxury of the television to slow the pace of the ball down 100 times to be able to make a conscious decision.
“People are viewing a slow motion version of what happened and not what I or any other footballer faces in the game. If people look at it in full speed you will see that it was an instinctive reaction. It is impossible to be anything other than that.
“I have never denied that the ball was controlled with my hand. I told the Irish players, the referee and the media this after the game.
“Naturally I feel embarrassed at the way that we won and feel extremely sorry for the Irish who definitely deserve to be in South Africa.
“Of course the fairest solution would be to replay the game but it is not in my control.
“There is little more I can do apart from admit that the ball had contact with my hand leading up to our equalising goal and I feel very sorry for the Irish.”
Henry's appeal came after FIFA broke their silence on the issue and maintained there would not be a replay.
The world governing body ruled that the result, which saw France win 2-1 on aggregate, cannot be changed despite the Football Association of Ireland appealing against the outcome.
FIFA's own statement said: “We have today replied to the request made by the FAI to replay the World Cup play-off match held between France and the Republic of Ireland in Paris.
“In the reply, FIFA state that the result of the match cannot be changed and the match cannot be replayed. As is clearly mentioned in the laws of the game, during matches, decisions are taken by the referee and these are final.”
The French Football Federation welcomed the decision and said they hoped the issue would now be forgotten. “FIFA are the ruler of the game and we have to abide by what they say,” said an FFF spokesman. “What they decide we have to do and they have ruled it will not be replayed.
“The Federation's president and the coach and all of us involved feel that it was a bitter qualification. But we don't decide how we qualify.
“We played poorly and it came down to a referee's mistake but that's the way it went. It happened on our side but sometimes in history it goes against you.
“The Irish were really great, they played brilliantly and we were awful. And then at the end, we achieved the qualification in this particular way thanks to a referee's mistake. If it had favoured the Irish side, you can imagine how people would have felt and reacted here.”
Henry's former manager at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, believes the striker will be the biggest loser in the controversy because there was no way he could do the right thing.
Wenger said: “He was the big loser in this story. If he comes out and said it was handball, half of France would have said, how crazy is he?'.
“If he doesn't say it straight away he is also guilty. The problem is not Thierry Henry, it is above Thierry Henry. He played here at Arsenal for 10 years and has always been super fair.
“I don't think it's right to put the responsibility on the player's shoulder, as you have to win at all costs, but then when that happens the whole country turns against Thierry Henry. That is unfair. He has come out and said: I made a mistake, I touched the ball with my hand'.”
Reader views (28)
Why all the hysterics? Cheating in football has been rife for years now.
- Ben, Berkshire, 23/11/2009 09:43
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Henry need not worry about his reputation, he is now the new World Netball Champion and all the girls will love him if they don't already do so. FIFA need to reconsider this ridiculous decision to refuse a replay or they will lose what little credibility they have left and could face a legal challenge by the FAI or even the Irish Government.
You don't rob Paddy and get away with it. The Frogs never learn do they....
- Frank, UK, 20/11/2009 16:52
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Hey - since when has fairplay and sportsmanship been reintroduced in soccer? Calm down. It's not cricket, and hasn't been for many years.
- Victor, Varde, Denmark, 20/11/2009 16:52
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This is boring now. I wish the Irish would give up. YOUR NOT GOING TO THE WORLD CUP GET OVER IT. Maybe they shouldnt of missed the chances they had in the game and the situation might be different. Sounds like sour grapes to me.
- Gunner For Life, Sussex, 20/11/2009 16:39
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Graeme Hornchurch
The whole thing is horrible. It should never have been a goal, but there we go. It was, Ireland are out, and the World Cup will be a slightly less annoying place.
Yeah - It will give the English fans peace to get on with thrasing of the place.
- Kevin, London, 20/11/2009 16:30
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Thierry Henry could have owned up at the time and the goal would have been disallowed… no Henry kept quite till the end of the game and only came clean after the fact. By saying the game should be replayed after FIFA has already ruled that out is a vein attempt to salvage some creditability, for which he has none.
- Paul B, London, 20/11/2009 16:10
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Love the way every ex footballer is coming out the woodwork to pop at henry...like they have never committed a similar offence in football during their playing days ...At the end of the day,any offence in football is 90% deliberate so that is "cheating"...May not lead to a goal but still "cheating" [ Dont agree with the word as i think its just instinct ]
Henrys was just blatant and led to a goal but does that make it different to all the others ? as stated in an earlier comment,Keane did the same offence a little earlier in the game but he got caught,but you dont here him getting accused of being a cheat and im sure the irish would still be celebrating if it led to them going through....Its football and gives us loads to talk about !
- George, UK, 20/11/2009 15:36
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a replay is a silly idea. where will the line be drawn?
- Jimmyjames, london, 20/11/2009 14:55
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Here's a man desperately trying to salvage both existing and potential future endorsement contracts. No wonder he's saying this. He can then say he did all he could to persuade FIFA to change its mind, to rescind this travesty, knowing that FIFA will do no such thing. Everyone's a winner (well, except the irish team, of course!)
- Jonathan Wooton, Dublin, 20/11/2009 14:19
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stu, beckton
Agreed on the sentiment of your post. But FIFA's obession with money is ultimately part of the same cancer that has already taken the game away from its roots and undermining it as an integrous sport.
The problem with this incident, unlike lower division football, is that a wrong decision can now have significant financial consequences for the country on the wrong end of it.
I don't expect either the FAI or the Irish government to pursue this matter much further, because I do not think the political will exists to fight for something they haven't got
But a more pugnacious nation may choose differently in future given what is at stake, and FIFA really do need to reform radically to face the modern economic realities of the product they are supposedly administering in an even handed manner
- John, Twickenham, 20/11/2009 14:17
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International football teams should take the postie / train driver approach to kick some sense into FIFA - strike!
- Someone, London, 20/11/2009 14:11
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John, I'm afraid that's utter nonsense. If you want to wipe aout the goal, then what about the remaining few minutes? What's to say that France wouldn't have scored again? Also, the referee knows that a handball would rule out a goal, but he - quite reasonably - didn't see it. Neither did his assistants, which is dreadfully unfortunate. This has NOTHING to do with getting the rules wrong, which the ref in the Uzbek game did.
Kevin - "fixing" these games does not work in favour of the bigger countries. How has this helped England? I'd rather Ireland had qualified as they have no World-class players and would be easier to beat than the French.
TV replays will never be introduced because they will not fit into football. Cricket, rugby, American football, tennis - these sports all have constant breaks where decisions can be appealed/checked. Football doesn't have these breaks.
A few minutes earlier in the game Robbie Keane was pnalised for handball. Would he or his country's politicians be calling for a replay if the Irish had gone on to score from his blatant cheating? No. Henry's crime was to be more subtle and more decisive. Claims earlier on this page of the officials being against Ireland are embarrassing and make the argument look even more pathetic than it already is.
The whole thing is horrible. It should never have been a goal, but there we go. It was, Ireland are out, and the World Cup will be a slightly less annoying place.
- Graeme, Hornchurch, 20/11/2009 14:10
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a lot of irrelevant comments saying the irish should get over this because it happens all the time in weekly football matches. Why should they not register a protest?! The comparison with lower league games is irrelevant because unlike those competitions where it's swings and roundabouts, this is obviously a one-time deal; the irish are dead right for highlighting this nonsense; the main purpose is surely to embarrass those clowns at FIFA, rather than get a replay which was never on the cards, and I for one think they're doing a good job.
- Jonathan Morley, London, 20/11/2009 13:52
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I feel very sorry for the Irish,but sadly, they know as I do, FIFA lives in the past and refuses to modernise by using technology as in Tennis, Rugby Union and League and a host of other sports. Wake up FIFA, and stop robbing fans of their hard earned savings!
- Jose Luis, London SW18, 20/11/2009 13:21
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get over it - move on.
This happens every weekend in the lower divisions. Anyone who supports a team other than the so called 'top four' is used to feeling cheated because no matter what anyone says the bigger teams always get the 'rub of the green'. To even ask for a reply is the most desperately sad thing I have every heard.
- Andy, London, 20/11/2009 13:11
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Get over it Paddy, it's only a ball!
Save your dosh and pay your mortgage!
- Julian, Dublin, 20/11/2009 12:52
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Tom, if you're digging people out for spelling it's only polite to spell "against" correctly.
Regardless of the opinion posted below, if anyone seriously thought this game would be replayed they need to wake up and smell the French. Where would that end if they set that precedent?
We replay the game with the Freddie Sears "goal" that didn't count for Palace?
The 'Hand of God' game from '86??
The '66 World Cup final??? (Although obviously that WAS over the line... ;0) )
Football is an unfair and flawed sport, and THAT, boys and girls, is it's charm.
If you want a perfect sport, with perfect rules, with perfect decisions, and NOTHING to argue about afterwards in pubs or at work or on sites like this, go and watch American "Football".
Heartbreaking for the Irish I agree, and by crikey do I absolutely detest with a vengeance both cheats and the French.
But that's football.
- Stu, Beckton, 20/11/2009 12:43
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The solution is very simple and just requires FIFA to be motivated by a desire to see fair play.
The score after 90 minutes was 0-1 to Ireland, so there is no grounds to hold a full replay
The only score in extra time was achieved illegally by France, so should be erased. Thus, after extra time, the score remained 0-1 to Ireland
Under the agreed rules of the competition, there should have been and still should be a penalty shoot out.
FIFA should stop dithering and organise this immediately to avoid any further upheaval or longer term recriminations,
- John, Twickenham, 20/11/2009 11:34
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absolutely the right decision, otherwise it is total chaos. remember there was a blatant foul on anelka that should have been a penalty late in the game, why not appeal that decision? where would it stop?
the irish lost the game because keane and dunn had excellent chances to win the game and they did not have the skill to score simple goals; blame them not henry.
- Tony, london, 20/11/2009 11:21
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"Where is Sepp Blatter? Why hasn't he come out and stood up and told everyone how it is..."?
Blatter's only ever to be seen when the appearance serves his agenda of self-agrandissment. You certainly won't be seeing him able to defend this decision which is more about FIFA's revenues than any idea of sporting ethos.
Indeed, a brief look at his CV makes this outcome more or less inevitable; he has no sporting achivements to his name, having shinned up the pole by feats of "administration". Football is not a sport to such people more a hybrid business/fiefdom.
Step forward Michel Platini who once graced the football field on behalf of France and now has the opportunity to strike a blow on behalf of Sport.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK, 20/11/2009 11:06
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FIFA are match fixers. They fixed the play-offs by seeding them and and the teams that were qualified along with the seeded teams didn't care about the unseeded countries. No one expected Ireland to upset the apple-cart in Paris, but upset the apple-cart they did.
Now suddenly Blatter and FIFA find themselves talking about chaos in the future. What chaos? Surely if the video technology is introduced now, this couldn't happen again.
The economic consequences of this to Ireland is massive. They were actually capable of qualifying, but for draw fixing and cheating on the field of play. But the crux of the matter is that FIFA are getting away with match fixing and the bigger countries are turning a blind eye because the fixing is in their favour.
England, Germany and Spain should be ashamed that they don't have a voice in all of this. Their silence is loud and, that's because this match fixing will never affect them. But if they allow this to be swept under the carpet and stay silent they are as guilty as Blatter.
As long as the 'big guns' stay silent Blatter will continue to fix things and block logical technology which works perfectly well in Rugby and Tennis.
The bigger countries are as guilty as Blatter. They are reporting the facts around this. But not one of them have taken a stand against France or FIFA and only the Robby Keans of this world have put two fingers up to them and accused them of match fixing.
He won't be charged for his comments.
- Kevin, London, 20/11/2009 10:34
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FIFA are living in the past,every sane person knows that
the World Cup has now been tarnished by this incident.
Wake up FIFA and stop saying one thing and applying another..where is your cause for Sportsmanship going to go now.Everyone except Mr Blatter knows that technology is the answer in circumstances like this, so why not introduce,every sport in the world which has technology assistance does not have this kind of publicity.The World Cup in South Africa will be a ''hotbed''now over
this incident and fans will really show their feelings towards the French Team,FIFA you can save this embarrassment to the World Cup,by acting in a manner to impose a sanction against France, befor the Draw in 2 weeks time
- European, Hong Kong China, 20/11/2009 10:26
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What a total idiot Jonny of london is,for a start you need a spelling test.. typical,sad response from you..i doubt very mush England will win it,have you not see them play,againgt top nations who CAN keep the ball they will be found out,even with the three egos of stevie me,rooney and terry.Ireland were cheated buy Henry,the officials ,the seeded draw and the higher authorities who are years behind the modern game,the sport has lost all essence of fair play.
If you cant see that then you are sadly very sad.i bet there would be uproar from yourself had England not Qualified from their easy group..
- Tom, herts, 20/11/2009 10:20
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Henry's cheating has undermined the World Cup before it has started.
This will hang over France in South Africa and in particular Henry. "Fair play" to the French media and public who have roundly condemned his actions.
I hope France win the tournament now, if only, to embarass FIFA.
- Darren, london, 20/11/2009 09:54
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On behalf of everyone in England I would just like to say 'Well Done France'.
I think you played very well and deserved victory. Obviously you had to go the long way round through the play-offs unlike us English who qualified as leaders of our group and will probably go on and win the competetion.
- Jonny, London, 20/11/2009 09:28
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The honourable solution would be for France would be to say - we will replay the game as Wenger did in the FA Cup. Gets FIFA/ UEFA out of a corner, makes France look good (otherwise I think they may be in for a rough ride in SA)and they almost certainly will win the replay. Only question may be whether Henry can play.
- Richard, Adelaide, Australia, 20/11/2009 09:13
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Though apparently the referee's decision was not considered final when FIFA forced a replay of a WC qualifier in 2005 in Uzbekistan because, in FIFA's own words, "the refereee failed to apply the rules properly"
As far as I am aware, the rules forbid the scoring of a goal via handling of the ball ?
- John, Twickenham, 20/11/2009 09:07
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Is there a bias towards the choice of referees by Fifa to suit their choice of prefernce to qualify? The referee used in Paris had a history of mistakes.
It was the same last year at Stamford Bridge for the Champions League semi-final when the choice of referee was inadequate to say the least.
There should be teams of the best qualified ,by that I mean a Referee and two assisatants who always play together and know each other well.
This works in America for basketball and should work well in Soccer.
- Tojo, Hythe Kent, 20/11/2009 08:52
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